I Ain't Cupid
by aeonsoul
Summary: Daryl Dixon, finally getting some "meat." Well..maybe.. ;) Rated Mature. (MA)
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hey guys! So this is a fanfic about The Walking Dead's Daryl Dixon, who in my opinion, is long overdue for some "action" haha Mature themes and language throughout. 18+ young ones!**

**Also, don't own anything. Anyways, enjoy.**

Chapter 1

"What the hell you doin here?" I say, raising my crossbow. "Bes' lower your gun."

Shane ignores me, keeping his aim at Randall's head.

"Hey!" I shout. "You hear me?!"

Randall starts to whimper. "Shut up!" Shane and I yell at the same time.

I grind my teeth. "Shoot him, your ass fries."

Shane shakes his head, his mouth twisting in a half smile. "Up till now," he says, "I figured you a smart son o'bitch." He looks up from Randall and stares me down. I fight the weight of my crossbow and keep my aim steady between Shane's eyebrows.

"You let him walk," he says, tipping his head towards Randall, "he'll lead his gang right to us-"

"Heard you the firs' time," I cut in. "Save your crap for Rick."

Shane laughs. "The sheriff went and made you his deputy, good for you," he mocks, holstering his weapon. I lower my crossbow, stepping out of the doorway for him to leave. He glances at it, then starts walking towards it all cocky. "He and his people will bring war to us. Blood lost will be on your hands. Yours and Rick's." He stops next to me. "But let me tell you something," he whispers, leaning close. "If it's Lori's, or Carl's, …I'll have _your_ blood."

I scoff. "Sure, I'll trade some for your ears. Get outta my face."

He shakes his head, leaving. I let out a breath. _Piece of shit_.

Relaxing my crossbow, I walk over to Randall, kicking his leg with my boot. He shrieks, jumping half a foot.

"Ball up, wuss," I say, checking his blindfold. "You're bein' let off." I unchain him from the pipe and pull him up. He starts yammering against the tape across his mouth.

"Shut up. ..Or I'll break your face some more." I pulled him by his arm. "C'mon."

Rick tips his head towards the truck. "Put him in the flatbed."

I push Randall. "Go on." He treks up and I cuff him to the side of the flatbed.

"You ready to leave?" Rick asks, opening the driver's sidedoor.

"Yeah."

Rick starts the engine as I hop in, and he drives us off the farm. We go on in silence, keeping our eyes peeled for Walkers. Only twelve hours ago, Dale was still alive..

"60 miles you figure is enough?" Rick says after a while.

I glance behind us, at Randall. _Real young.. Real cute.. _ Nope. "Make it at least 80."

Rick nodded. "We got gas for that… Hey!"

"What?!" I say. I follow his gaze. Up ahead we see two figures on the side of the road. Walkers. Rick was beginning to slow down when the Walkers started sprinting toward us.

"What the hell?" I mutter, reaching for my crossbow at my feet, loading it.

Rick slams on the brakes. "Those aren't Walkers." He turns off the truck and pulls out his pistol. We get out, raising our weapons. They were about 100 feet from us now, a guy and a girl.

"Whoa! Hands above your head!" Rick yells as we approach. I circle around, flanking them to a stop.

"Don't shoot, don't shoot!" shouts the guy, raising his arms high. "We're unarmed!"

"Your girl ain't!" I say, eyeing her sheathed knife tied around her waist.

"Down on the ground!" Rick barks. "Get down!"

The guy and girl lower themselves on their knees then lay down on the road. I go to the girl and pull off her knife, a real good one, military grade. Rick pats down the guy, who was clean.

"I told you not to bring it!" the guy snaps at her.

"Shut up, Scott!" the girl bites back. "You swear I'd leave it behind!"

"Alright, sit up," says Rick as he glances down the road. I looked too, but these two were alone. "Who are you? What are you doing out here by yourselves?"

"By ourselves?" the guy repeats, getting up to one knee. "We're not twelve."

"You look about seventeen," Rick says to the girl.

She scowls. "I'm twenty-three, jackass." She pushes her long, straight dark hair away from her face with one hand.

"Who are you with?" I say, jabbing my question to the guy, Scott.

He narrows his eyes up at me. "No one. You wanna point that thing somewhere else?"

Rick and I exchange looks and lower our weapons.

"Look, we don't want any trouble," says Scott. "Just let us go."

_At ten miles from the farm, no way._

"Where are you headed?" Rick asks. They glance at each other and stay silent. "Where did you come from?" Rick continues. "Where's your camp?" The couple doesn't answer. Rick gets closer to them and rests down on one knee to their eye level. "You got, what? One backpack and a knife between the two of you, and you want us to believe you've been surviving like that all on your own? How many people are in your group? Where did you not want to leave your knife behind, sweetheart?"

The girl just returns Rick's stare coolly. She shrugs. "Who's that you got in the back of your truck?" Rick and I look back at Randall chained up on the flatbed. Wrong move. The girl tackles me behind my knees, making me buckle to the ground. Before I can react, she jabs her wrist up my lip and nose, cutting my inner lip and making my nose gush almost immediately.

"Hey!" yells Rick, pulling out his gun, but the girl already locked her arm around my neck and has her knife pressed against my throat.

"Drop it!" she shouts. Rick merely points his gun Scott, who hadn't even moved.

"You drop it," Rick says loudly. "Nobody has to get hurt."

We all look at each other, figuring out the situation. The girl shakes her head and groans. "Dammit, Scott!"

"Damn _you_, crazy!" Scott snaps back. "Why the hell you gotta go psycho all the time?!"

The girl gave up, letting me go. I immediately got up, yanked her knife out of her hand. She stands up slowly, facing me, unafraid. I pulled her to me by the hair.

"You wanna try that again, bitch?" I say lowly, my bloody breath against her lips. We lock angry stares.

"Relax, Daryl, they're down." Rick says. I let out a huff, letting go of her. We didn't break eye contact, even when Rick pulled me aside. She's trouble.

"So," Rick begins, in a low tone. "What do we do about them?"

I shrug. She smiles slightly, crossing her arms. "Take them along for the ride, drop them off with Randall."

"Yeah," Rick nods. "Yeah I figured the same." Rick turned back to the couple, waving them over. "Let's go, you're coming with us!"

They exchanged looks. "Where?" Scott says.

"Don't you worry about that, just get in the truck," says Rick.

Scott started walking over, but the girl didn't move. "Sarina, come on," Scott snaps. The girl, Sarina, stands her ground. "You're taking us against our will, well at least take us in the other direction," she says.

"Can't do that," Rick says plainly.

"You got no choice, girly," I say, reaching for her arm, but she ducks out.

"Sarina!" Scott snaps.

"Scott!" she snaps back. "Don't forget why we're out here in the first place! We cannot go that way!"

"Why not? Walkers?" Rick asks.

"Walkers?" Scott asks. "You mean Roamers? No."

Sarina presses her lips together. Enough of this! I raise my crossbow and point it at Scott's right leg.

"Get in the truck," I say to Sarina, "Or he crawls in!"

"We can't go back that way!"

"Why not!"

"We just can't!"

"Why!?"

Sarina huffs, defeated. She points at the truck. "Because we're running away from his friends, alright!" Rick and I exchange glances. Randall's boys? Sarina continues. "We're running _away from our camp_."

Rick turns to Scott. "Why's that?"

Scott shrugs angrily. "You think my sister's crazy?" he says, pointing a thumb at Sarina. "The guys we're getting away from, they're dangerous. They're scavengers, the barbaric kind. We had to get away. They're driving around _right now_, looking for a place to scavenge, people to rob and hurt. And their camp's _that way_, the way you were headed. We need to go the other way or at least get off the road. You don't want to listen to us? At least let _us _go!"

I look at Rick, recognizing the look on his face. Damn it.

"Alright," he says. "We'll head the other way, drop you off with Randall."

"Ha ha," Sarina says, humorless. "Not going anywhere with him."

"Oh well," I say. I know where this is headed.

"Why can't we go back to your camp?" asks Scott.

"NO!" me and Rick answer at the same time. Rick cleared his throat uncomfortably. "No. You're not welcome there."

"_He _isn't, I can tell," says Scott, eyeing Randall and the open cuts and bruises on his face. Courtesy me and Shane. "Hey Randall, long time no see." Randall shakes his head, not being able to say or see anything himself.

"Let's just get in the truck," Rick says exasperatedly. "We'll work it out on the way." I glance down the road, from where the two nomads came. The road looked empty as far as I could see, but that could change in a minute.

"Fine," scoffs Sarina. "Shotgun."

"You wish," I say, opening the passenger door and pulling forward the seat for her.

She scowls. "You're not thanked." And climbs into the back.

"You're not welcome," I replied. I climb into the passenger seat as Rick and Scott get in through Rick's side.

Rick fires up the truck and we U-turn to go the other way. We drive for a while in silence. I held my breath when we passed the road that leads to the Greene farm, but I didn't suspect that Scott or Sarina figured that that's where we're from. It just looked like any other small road in these parts. I did notice, however, Scott holding his side protectively. A wound?

"So if you guys are getting away from Randall's group," Rick says, breaking the silence. "Why were you on the road? Out in the open? Why not trek through the cover of the trees?"

Scott snorts. "Cuz that's how you literally run into Roamers."

"Is that how you got hurt?" I say.

The truck was silent for a second. "What do you mean?" says Rick.

"Oh, you're talking about this?" says Scott and pulls up his shirt. Yep, an injury, looks like. Covered in an amateur dressing. "Fell into a pointy rock while Sarina and I were running from Roamers."

"Shut up, Scott," Sarina hisses.

"Shut up why?" asks Rick suspiciously.

Scott rolls his eyes. "She doesn't want me to tell you guys about how she wanted to take them all on with her mighty knife."

I laugh, pulling out the thing. It really was a good knife.

"Can I have it back, please?" Sarina asks, all sweet.

"Lemme think about that," I say sarcastically. "No." I caught Rick concealing a smile.

"So listen up," he says in Rick mode. "We're dropping you guys off with Randall a few miles up ahead."

"How many miles," Sarina says loudly.

"Does that matter?" he asks. "We're leaving you far away from your camp you say you're getting away from."

"Fine," she scoffs. Scott tries to say something but she cuts him off. "Just leave it. We don't need 'em."

We drive in silence for over an hour. I spotted a few Walkers along the way but they weren't headed in the direction of the farm so we ignored them and kept driving until we traveled a good 70-80 miles. Rick stopped the truck and turned it off.

"Right," he says, getting out. Scott hopped out after.

"Move it," Sarina says from the back.

I scoff, grabbing my crossbow and getting out. Rick gets on the flatbed and unchains Randall from the truck. He takes off his blind, too, then starts helping him off the truck.

"Where do you think you're going?" Sarina says, grabbing my arm as I started towards the back of the flatbed. "My knife?"

"You wait," I say, pulling out of her grasp. I go to the end up the flatbed to pick up the bag of provisions, handing it to Rick.

"Right," he says. "So here's some food, some water, enough to get you started. "

Scott steps up to us. "Let me talk to you, can we talk for a sec?"

"Scott," Sarina begins, frustrated. "Just let them—"

"Sarina," he cuts in. "I love you, but please just shut up. Please," he says to us, pointing to the side of the road. Rick and I walk over with him.

"Okay, look," he says lowly. "I know you must have some mistrust with our group, I can tell. Randall's face has definitely seen better days." Rick shifts uncomfortably. "But we're not like him!" Scott whispers loudly. "I'm asking, not for me but for my sister, for you to let us join your camp. Listen!" he says we I began to protest. "We can hunt for food, kind of. We can fight off Roamers—"

"Yeah right, Mr. Pointy Rock," I cut in.

"That-" Scott stammers, defending himself. "They ambushed us, okay? I'm pretty handy with a gun, I just don't have one. And Sarina, you should see her handle her knife, she's like a pro."

"That supposed to convince us we could trust 'er?" I say. "She broke my nose."

Scott rolls his eyes. "It ain't broken, man, grow a pair. 'Sides, she's a girl. You're a punkass for letting her get the best of you."

"Scott," Rick says to Scott, holding me back as well. Punkass?! "Right, I know you're jus' tryin to protect your sister, look I get that, but we can't bring you back with us. You're just going to have to tough it out with Randall."

Scott sighs in frustration. "Fine but just know why that's gonna be a problem with my sister." Scott looks over his shoulder at Sarina. She wasn't paying any mind to us. She was just looking across the open meadow on her side of the road, arms crossed. Scott continues, "Sarina will kill me if she knew I was telling you this, so hush it. Two nights ago, the guys in our group came back from their little trip, shaken from their fight with you guys I'm guessing, and a bunch of Roamers, and they got really drunk; and they-they tried to jump my sister, okay? They tried to rape her. Like, gang rape." Rick and I exchange glances. Shit. "Look, Randall wasn't with them, obviously, but if he _was _back with us at our camp, you can sure as hell bet he would have wanted to get a piece of her. Sure as hell, man. I know it, she knows it, so she hates his and all their guts."

"How'd you get away?" I say, looking at Sarina. She kicks a pebble on the ground, glances at us, then turns her back.

"Two Roamers stumbled into our camp," Scott answers. "The guys spooked, Sarina and I made a break for it during the shooting." Scott sighs, shaking his head. "They- they were about ready to rape her right in front of me." He trains his eyes on Rick. "We're not like them. But you will be if you leave us here, make us split that measly bag of snacks you call provisions between the three of us."

Rick and I exchange glances. And for once I agree with that look. He sighs. "Fine."

**A/N: Read and review, peeps, or I may not bother to continue. If there ain't no audience, how can I call my writing art? So please R&R :)**

-liz


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: hey guys! So here's Chapter 2, thanks for waiting! This chapter's basically just introductions, mostly dialogue. I promise it will pick up in the next blow, and I'll shut up now : )**

Chapter 2 Fighters

Rick made some chit chat with the brother and sister as we drove back to the farm, but I didn't pay 'em no mind. Pretty soon we're making the right turn on the road towards the Greene farm.

"Right," he says. "So when we get there, I want you two to hush it and let me do the talking."

"No problem," says Scott indifferently.

"That mean I don't get my knife back yet?" Sarina calls from the back. "Feeling a little naked without it."

_ Why she have to say that? Now I can't help but picture—_

"You want to gain our people's trust, don't you?" Rick answers. "You're gonna have to be unarmed. At least for a few days."

"A few days?!" shouts Sarina. "Are you serious?! We're in a middle of a war here!"

"War, what war?"

"Against the Roamers, duh!" Sarina exclaims. "When almost the entire human population turns on you and wants to feast on your insides, you arm up and shank some motherfuckers!"

Rick nods to himself. "Okay, see right there? You start swearing in front of my son and we got a problem."

Sarina lets out a frustrated sigh and goes quiet.

We round a bend and break through into the valley were the farm sits. Rick drives us past the barn and rolls the truck into a stop in front of the house. We get out, Scott letting out an appreciative whistle.

"A fella can get used to this," he says.

"Not yet," Rick points out. "Whether or not you get to stay ain't my call."

Right on cue, Maggie and Glenn step out of the house.

"Hey, you're back," he says. "Lori's been asking..uh.." he trails off when he catches sight of Scott and Sarina.

Rick clears his throat and starts up the steps to meet them. "Glenn."

Glenn pulls his gaze from us and turns back to Rick. "Um, what's with the newbies?"

"Glenn," Rick begins again. "I need you to bring our people here from camp. Shane, T-Dog, Andrea, everybody. I'll get the people in the house."

Glenn nods and starts coming down the steps. "Glenn," calls Rick. Glenn turns and looks at him. Rick gives him a meaningful look. "Quietly." Glenn nods again and hops into a jog.

Rick tosses me a Watch-Them look and goes into the house. Great. Babysittin'. I lean back against the truck as Maggie comes down the steps. Scott, however, straightens up, grinning.

"Wow, hey," he says to her, looking her up and down.

I shove his shoulder blade. "Shut it."

"Don't freak out," he says to me then turns his attention back to Maggie. "I'm just sayin' 'Hello.'"

Maggie walks up to us, crossing her arms. "And who are you?"

Scott bows deep. "Scott Matthews, at your humble service, humble Miss!"

"Idiot," I catch Sarina saying under her breath.

Maggie raises an eyebrow and turns to me. "Where'd you find 'em?"

I tip my head towards the road. "Walkin'."

Rick, Lori, Carol, and Hershel come outside the house and down the steps to meet us. Rick gives me a nod and turns to Hershel. "These are Scott and Sarina. They're siblings. We found them on the road a few miles out."

Sarina nods in greeting. Scott offers an awkward wave.

Rick clears his throat. "They, uh, they're defectors from Randall's camp. They ran into some trouble with them and they're on the run. I told them that we might be able to accommodate them here."

Hershel shakes his head. "Rick—"

"Look," Rick interrupts, squaring up. "I know one of the reasons we wouldn't keep Randall was because he'd be another mouth to feed, but these two, they're worth their salt. They'll fight as good as any of us, maybe harder. They're two more people who will defend this farm from Walkers. And they're two less people to fight against, and we got plenty of those."

Rick turns to Lori, sighing. "Lori, what are you thinking?"

Lori shrugs, hand on her throat. "I'm thinking we should make some room for them."

Rick looks to Carol. She nods. "Hershel?" he says, turning to him again. "Your farm, your call. I'll just say that I'll take responsibility for 'em, make sure they're in line."

Hershel looks at Scott. "You, boy, you're comfortable with a shotgun?"

"Yes, Sir," Scott says proudly.

"How about without one?" Hershel trains his eyes on him.

Scott shrugs. "Whatever you ask of me, Sir."

Hershel turns to Sarina. "What kind of trouble did you have with your group, sweet pea?"

Sarina stares him in the eye. "The kind of trouble that makes a girl's father afraid."

A flash of knowing crosses Hershel's eye. "And what is your father like?"

She blinks. "My father.._was_.. a military man. A patriot."

He nods, glancing at his daughter before turning to Rick. "They can stay." He heads up the steps and back into the house.

Rick breathes out. "Wow. That was-"

"Easy?" Lori finishes. "Good." She goes to Sarina. "C'mon. Let's go inside and get you cleaned up."

"Wait," Rick says, stopping them.

"What?"

"This is a group decision," he says. "We're still waiting on—"

"Da hell is this?"

We turn to see Shane walking fast towards us, with his characteristic ass look on his face, followed by Glenn, T-dog, and Andrea.

"Who are these people?" Shane demands, looking from Sarina, to Scott, then back.

"They're runaways from Randall's camp," says Rick. "Listen, they ran into some trouble—"

"You're kidding me, right?" Shane cuts in. "You leave with one POW and come back with two?!"

"These ain't prisoners, okay?" Rick answers loudly. "Look at them, they're practically teens."

"Uh, no we're not," Scott counters. Sarina whacks him on the shoulder and he shuts up.

"Randall wasn't much older, Rick!" Shane snaps. "And you're ok with this, in your state?" he demands Lori. "And you?" he turns to Andrea.

Andrea looks at Scott for a bit before asking, "You know how to use a gun?"

Scott smiles slightly. "Yeah."

Andrea looks at Sarina. "You?"

Sarina nods. "Yup."

"Great," Andrea finishes. "She can take my watch tonight. We done here?"

Shane's jaw drops slightly. "You agree to take 'em on the basis that they know how to fire a gun, what the hell is wrong with you people?" He glowers at Andrea disbelievingly, at Rick, then at me. "These are two more kids you gonna have to stick your neck out for!"

"Okay, let's get one thing straight," Sarina says loudly, stepping forward.

Shane frowns. "You got something to say, Maria?"

Sarina's eyes narrowed. "Yeah, I do. I'm half-Latina, thanks for picking that up. And we ain't kids. I'm twenty-three, my brother's a year older," she clarifies, pointing a thumb at Scott. "And you ain't gotta stick your ugly neck out for either of us. My brother was in the academy before hell spilled over so yeah, he can shoot, and well, too. He's an excellent marksman. And me?" she says, taking a step closer. "I can hunt and I can fight."

Shane shakes his head, chuckling. "I don't see your huntin' gear, Maria."

Sarina scoffs. "It's Sarina. And Cupid over there's got my knife."

What?! "I ain't Cupid," I say, pissed.

"What knife, lemme see," Shane says, coming over to me. I pull it out of my back pocket, handing it over, staring coldly at Sarina. She shrugs, in a "What chu gonna do?" kinda way.

"Okay, Shane," Rick says, pinching the bridge of his nose. "The point of the matter is—"

"You in the Army or somethin'?" Shane says, unsheathing and examining Sarina's knife.

Sarina presses her lips together and just stares at Shane coolly.

"Shane, give it a rest, okay?" Maggie speaks up, annoyed. "My dad says they could stay so it doesn't really matter—"

"Hey I'm just trying to figure out if these people could be trusted, see?" Shane cuts her off. "Cuz how I'm seein' it, we got another pair of Randalls."

"We're nothin' like him," Scott says coldly. "We didn't go on those 'shopping trips' he went on with the rest of the boys, lootin' people and shit. We've done alrigh'."

"Then how did you join their little group, then?" Shane counters. "How'd you survive so long without gettin' your hands dirty with 'em?" He turns to Sarina. "Huh, Maria?"

"Because we're survivors!" Sarina exclaims. She hit her breaking point, I can tell. Sarina huffs, clenching her fists, "Okay?! We're fighters! You think our group wanted to take in a pair of scrawny kids from the suburbs? No!" She lunges at Shane before anyone could react and punches him in the stomach. She uses his own weight against him to kick his leg out from under and flip him onto his back, then jabs his side with a sharp kick and punches him in the stomach again with the weight of her body, all in about two seconds. Her knife falls from his hand to the ground, and she swipes it up. She tosses it to me, blade pointing down, so I can catch it by the handle. She looks down at Shane, who was still struggling for his lungs to expand, and then at Rick. "I had to fight and nearly kill one of them with my knife to prove I could use it." She and I lock gaze. "Only until I proved I could fight I gained their trust. Or respect. Whatever." She looks down at Shane with contempt. "So what's it gonna be? I got your respect now, fugly?"

Shane staggers up, looking at Sarina like he wanted to push her head into a pile of cow shit. Yeah she's a bitch, but I got a high watchin' Shane get knocked on his ass like that. Then I sobered up when I remembered she kinda did the same to me.

He shakes his head at Rick. "You're an idiot," he says savagely. "You all are! Idiots!" He stalks away.

Sarina looks around at us staring at her. "Sorry."

Rick shrugs. "Can't say he didn't deserve it this time. But I do gotta say that fightin' with one of us? That ain't gonna roll."

Sarina nods. "Sorry again. Last time that happens. …Unless he calls me 'Maria' one more time. Then he's really gonna get it."

Rick grins to himself. "Alright then."

Lori steps up. "Why don't you all come in and wash up? Lunch is on the stove."

"And Scott," Rick adds. "You should have Hershel take a look at that cut, he can help."

Scott shakes his head. "I got it, I'm fine."

"I'll have lunch," T-dog says, heading up the steps.

"I'm..actually not that hungry," Sarina says. "I think I'm gonna go sit over there for a bit to cool my head. But, thank you, um.."

"Lori," Lori finishes with a brief smile.

"I'm Glenn," Glenn says, raising a hand. "Kinda cool what you just did, by the way."

Maggie rolls her eyes at Glenn then introduces herself. "Maggie."

"Carol, hi."

"Andrea."

"I'm Rick," Rick says.

"Rick," Sarina repeats. "Lori, Glenn, Maggie, Carol, Andrea." She looks at me. "Cupid?"

I scowl at her.

"That's Daryl," Rick says for me.

"Daryl," Sarina repeats. "Can I have my knife back, please, Daryl? ..No? It was worth a shot."

**A/N: and finito, for now. Leave a review please if you wants : )**

**-aeonsoul**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: hey guys, so here's Chapter 3. sorry for the wait, I've been going through a rough patch. Hopefully that'll influence and improve my writing... I'll try to push chapters every 7-8 days. Try. Well anyway, chapter 3.**

Chapter 3

"Hey."

_Hm._

"Hey!"

_What?!_

"Yo Robin Hood, wake up already."

I open my eyes, wondering where I was. Robin Hood? I felt someone staring and looked to my side. Sarina was on one knee, moving somethin' around in her hand. She raises an eyebrow.

"Good. I was about to start flicking pebbles at you."

"Do that you'll wish you were back at your camp," I mutter, sitting up. "The hell you doing at my tent?"

"I'm eight feet away from your 'tent,' Cupid."

"Quit callin' me that."

"So Cupid, Rick says you're the hunter around these parts."

I get up and pull on my jacket, ignoring her.

"And I'm assuming that's where you're going. Into the woods. I don't wanna slave away in the farmhouse, I ain't no gardener, it's boring sitting around keeping watch, and I sure as hell ain't about to milk no cows, so—"

"You ain't comin,'" I say, picking up my crossbow.

Sarina rises, tossing her pebbles to the side. "And why not?"

"I don't need you scaring game," I say simply.

"Scaring game," Sarina repeats. "So you are hunting animals?"

I scoff. "What else would I be huntin?"

"Duh!" Sarina laughs. "Roamers! You mean to tell me none of y'all keep the perimeter safe by hunting the nearby Roamers?!"

I take my bag and start walking.

"Hey!" she calls after me. "I'm talking to you!"

"I ain't!" I dig through my bag, taking out and tossing her her knife. She catches it, surprised. "Hunt your own damn Walkers."

Hours later, I began trudging back to the farm with my skewered rabbit, pissed after losing a deer I tracked all day. I hear a scuttle up ahead through the trees and raise my crossbow, hoping to add another rabbit to my belt. I relax when I smell it. Cooking meat.

"Oh," Sarina says when she sees me round a tree. "It's you." She holsters her knife and relaxes against her log, returning to her food.

"Squirrel," I say, looking at her barbeque.

She nods once. "Lunch." She sees me glance at her dead rabbits on a flat stone near her pack. "Dinner."

Our eyes meet. She jerks her chin to her fire. "Help yourself."

"I don't want any."

"Don't lie, Cupid."

"I said I don't want any."

She shrugs indifferently, ripping the last chunk of meat off the bone with her teeth then tossing it into the brush.

"How'd you get 'em?" I ask, sitting on the ground opposite her and her fire, pulling off my pack. I toss my rabbit with hers.

She licks her fingers. "I snared them."

"Thought you went Walker huntin.'"

"I did. After I set my snares. Killed eight Walkers. Came back, claimed my prize, and started cooking." She looked at me silently for a second, before her face broke into a smile.

"Wut," I say lamely, anticipating.

She shakes her head, laughing. "Nothing."

"Obviously ain't," I reply, leaning back.

Sarina shrugs. "Just admiring your rabbit, mighty hunter."

I roll my eyes. "Deer I was trackin' ran for hell when a Walker spooked it."

"Uh huh," says Sarina sarcastically. "Sure."

I scoff. "Why'd you wanna hunt with me anyway? Pretty clear we were gone get in each other's way."

Sarina sobered up. "Cuz that's how you get bit," she says all serious. She shrugs. "I guess I just wanted a hunting partner."

I frown. "And your brother?"

"He's hurt, remember?" she answers, flicking a twig into her fire distractedly. "Been here two days and I already know the insides of you people; Your boy Shane is too busy chasin' after his friend's girl. ..Yeah, it's obvious," she adds when I gave away a look. "Your man Rick is runnin' scared, trying to hold down your fort, that Asian dude—"

"Glenn," I say.

"Yeah," she says. "Weaksauce."

I shake my head. "He's got balls."

"His girl's making him soft," Sarina points out. "Makes him let his guard down. All you people got your guard down."

"Pfft," I laugh derisively. "Don't explain why I got shot by one of 'em, takin' me for a Walker."

Sarina laughs. "Wow. Now that's pretty stupid, who did that?"

I shrug. "Does that matter? Point is we got a 24 hour watch."

She shakes her head. "You people are gonna get eaten in your sleep. Unless you make some changes." She stands, pulling out her knife.

"What chu doin,'" I say, getting alarmed.

Sarina doesn't answer that. "You wanna be safe?" she says instead, walking towards me. "You need to up your defenses."

I reach for my crossbow, but she just walks past me. I turn around to see what the hell she was doing. A few paces ahead of her, maybe fifteen or twenty feet, I see what. A Walker. I stand and begin aiming when she puts up her hand.

"I got it," she says confidently. She reels back and throws her knife with all her strength, and with some nice precision. She hit the damn thing square through the mouth, striking through the fugly son o'bitch's brain.

She turns back to me, flashin' a smile, before goin' to retrieve her knife. "You need border patrol!" she calls over her shoulder. I watched her strut over and pull her knife out of the bastard. She turns around and catches me lookin' at her. Shit.

"Want some of this?" she says, grinning, as she walks back over.

"I ain't-don't- I want nuthin of you," I stammer as I felt my face burn.

"Yeah okay," she laughs, swooping down for her pack. She takes the last of the squirrel from the fire and starts kicking dirt over the pit. "Just take it," she says, handing over the meat. "I know my barbeque, it's good." She waves it slightly. I couldn't refuse and take it, biting into a leg. I barely resisted moaning. This woman can cook!

"Right?" she smiles. "Remind me to thank the good ole farmer for the loaner," she says, flashing me a bottle of garlic salt from her pack.

"You puh lemon onit?" I ask, mouth full, as we begin walking to the farm.

"Yup. All we needed were some tortillas," she says wistfully.

"Salsa," I add, takin' another bite.

Sarina laughs. "True that!"

We walk silently for a while. Sometime later, Sarina stopped for a second to flex her ankle.

"I twisted it earlier," she says in explanation.

"Are you okay, you want me to wrap it?" I offer.

She raises an eyebrow. "I already did, _Link_. I can take care of myself."

"Didn't say you couldn't," I scoff.

"Didn't have to." She looks at me, serious. "I don't need saving."

"Alrigh', drama queen," I say annoyed, walking again.

We make it back to the farm in about half an hour. We were almost at the steps to the house, going to drop off the rabbits, when Rick and Shane burst through the front door and charge towards us.

"What's goin' on?" I begin to say but Shane cuts me off.

"You think we wouldn't find out eventually?" he shouts at Sarina when they reached us.

Rick catches him by the arm. "Whoa, let me handle this," he says sternly, reeling him back a bit.

"Find out what?" I say, angling myself between Sarina and Shane. He was breathing her down like a bull.

"Yeah, find out what?" Sarina answers defiantly, standing straight and scowling at him.

"That your brother is turning," Rick says. "That he was bit."

We all look at each other for a moment. Bit?

"What?" Sarina asks, stunned.

"You're brother was bit by a fucken Walker!" Shane says angrily. "Your shit's hit the fan, don't bother acting stupid!"

"My brother wasn't bit!" Sarina snaps back angrily.

"He's showing all the signs," Rick counters. "Fever, chills, sweats, fatigue, pain, everything. We've seen this before."

"And that 'cut,'" Shane adds scathingly. "Textbook Walker bite, all infected with shit."

"Cuts can get infected, too, dumbass!" Sarina retorts. "He fell into a rock _days _ago—"

"He was bit, it's certain," Rick cuts in. We all stare at him. He shakes his head. "Sarina—"

"Listen, you little son of a bitch," she exclaims fiercely. "My brother ain't bit!" She bolts through him and Shane and runs up the steps into the house. Shane goes after her. I begin to follow but Rick catches me by the arm.

"Daryl, wait," he begins. "Listen—"

"What's gonna happen," I interrupt, staring at him in the eye. "We're gonna kill him?"

"Ain't got no choice," Rick says, looking at me stern.

"Rick, he's a _kid_—"

"Won't be in a matter of time, you know that better than me," Rick cuts in.

I thought about Dale. And what I had to do for him. For Rick. I can't do that to Scott. To Sarina.

"I ain't doing it," I mutter.

"What _you_ do or don't do ain't what's worryin' me," Rick says under his breath. "You saw her, didn't you?" Rick glances at the house. "Daryl. We've got a problem."

**A/N: I have no idea how to cook squirrel so I just went Mexican on the sucker :D Hope you enjoyed reading. Let me know if you did! Don't let me know if you didn't! Kidding, I wanna know your opinion. Anyways, until we meet again : )**

**-aeonsoul**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: So, guess which genius broke her laptop? Sorry guys, had to re-write all my work. And yes, I'm backing up to the cloud from now on, lesson learned. I've also uploaded an old Harry Potter fanfic for interested parties, something I've written long ago but never uploaded, if anyone wants to check it out. So anyway, for this chapter, I've included a "Previously on...!" to refresh y'all memories. So, splat! Dinner served:)**

_Previously on "I Ain't Cupid":_

_Rick and Daryl decide to drop off Randall a ways from the Greene farm and pick up two runaway siblings, Scott and Sarina, on the way. Scott's a goof and Sarina is pretty much a bitch, knocking down both Daryl and Shane on their butts. Daryl has the hots for Sarina and gets caught staring at her ass. Sarina seems amused, and Daryl won't admit to himself that he's starting to like Sarina because he's being a pussy. Shit hits the fan when Rick and Shane decide that Scott's wound is actually a Walker bite. Sarina calls Rick a "son of a bitch" (ouch) and rushes to her brother's aid._

Chapter 4.

I narrow my eyes at Rick. "No one's shootin' anybody yet," I growl, pushing past him, taking the front steps two at a time. I blow past Hershel, who was just about to come outside it seems, hand poised up to grasp the doorknob.

"I want them out, Rick," I heard him say to Rick, who was hot on my heels. Rick and Hershel muttered some stuff but I didn't care what, heading for the staircase without pausing. I didn't care what Hershel had to say about anythin'. As far as I'm concerned, I can live well enough without 'im. He's the old one with four defenseless kids to take care of and could really use the likes of Rick, Shane, Andrea, T-Dog, Glenn, Sarina, and myself defending this place but whatever. That bone I'll pick another day.

I reach the top landing and find Lori, Carol, and Shane crowding outside one of the bedrooms.

"She forced us out at knifepoint and locked herself in with him," Lori says worriedly to Rick.

Shane was pounding on the door. "Open the door!"

"Shane move over let me handle this," Rick says lowly, glancing behind him downstairs.

"We got a half-turned Walker in here, Rick," Shane spat. "I'm taking this door down. Open up!" When nothing happens, he steps back to get a good run in for a kick at the door but walking into Lori. He turns around. "Move," he says somewhat calmly to Lori, breathing down her face.

Lori stares back angrily. "This isn't the way-"

"Get the hell away from my wife," Rick says dangerously, stepping up to Shane. Rick shakes his head. "This farm is the best thing that's happened to us for a while. Lori's pregnant," Rick says to everybody. "We need Hershel for her sake. Carl as well as the rest of us are still recovering from Sophia's death, from Dale's.. We can't move on yet and we can't risk getting kicked out, Shane!"

I meet Carol's eyes, exchanging thoughts with looks. She nods her head. "We have to be sure," I say. Everyone turns to me. I look at Rick. "We gotta do what's gotta be done, but we have to be sure. I'll handle this, go," I say, going to the door. When I sense nobody moving, I turn over my shoulder, "You hear me? Go on, get!" One by one they walk off towards the stairs, Shane muttering shit under his breath. Rick and I exchange a look; time crunch. I wait until he and everyone cleared the hall before rapping on the door.

"Sarina. It's me, open up."

"Go away, Daryl, my brother ain't bit!"

"Just open up," I say, "And let me see for myself. I ain't armed."

"And how do I know you aren't lying, that you or your little friends won't blow my brother's head off?!"

"Sarina. C'mon."

There was a pause. Then I heard a few steps toward the door and a click of a lock sliding out of place.

"See?" I say as the door opens, holding my hands up. "I ain't-"

Sarina's hand flies out, grabbing me by the neck of my shirt and yanking me inside. Sarina slams the door shut and locks it as soon as I clear the doorway.

"Woah," I say, not resisting a grin. "You wanted me all you had to do was ask."

Sarina glared at me. "Shut up and look at my brother."

I walk around her and go to Scott, who was lying down on the bed Carl was in when he was shot. A stethoscope and sphygmomanometer lay on the bedside table next to a jug of water and a glass. The window on the far side was open, letting in a soft cool breeze that seemed to be doing nothin' for nobody. The room was hot, and it reeked.

"Hey," Scott says weakly. "Sarina, can I speak to Daryl alone?"

"Nope," Sarina answers, stepping to my side and crossing her arms. "Don't try anythin' funny," she says to me.

I ignore her and look at Scott closely. He was sweatin' a lot, right through the sheet over his bare chest. No doubt from a fever-causing infection. His skin looked green and his eyes bloodshot. A foul stench wafted from him, from what I guessed his wound. "Lemme see," I say, jabbing my chin to his abdomen.

"It looks bad, but it really-" he begins as he pushes his sheet down to the rim of his jeans but interrupts himself with a string of hacking coughs.

"Just relax," I say, "Lemme just..lemme look at it.." Damn. Scott reveals a huge infected wound, the gunk coming out of it no match for the gauze, tape, and dressing. Bigger than when I last saw it, back in the truck with Rick and Randall, it looks like and smells like God himself shanked him with a cat shit scooper. This is definitely-

"Not a Roamer bite, see?" Sarina says, stepping forward. "He ain't septic. He ain't in shock. The wound may be a little infected from the stupid rock he fell into, but it gets worse before it gets better-"

" 'A lil infected?' " I echo incredulously. "Scott's growin' a Porta-Potty out of his bread basket-"

"Yeah, it's _infected-"_

_"_It ain't natural," I counter, steaming. She's so hard-headed! "And I seen it before. We need to get to the bottom of this." I turn to Scott. "Why'd you fall?"

Scott blinks. "I told you. We got ambushed by a couple of Roamers. I tripped over my own feet-"

"How big was the rock?"

"The size of my head-"

"Which way'd you fall into it?"

"Uh.. South?"

Scott coughs. He leans back against his pillow, not breaking eye-contact with me. I shake my head, my anger rising. "Why are you lyin'? No use holdin' back-"

"Quit it!" Sarina snaps, shoving my shoulder and advancing. "That's enough."

"Sarina-"

"You're done here," she cuts me off, pulling out her knife. "You gonna leave?" Sarina keeps advancing.

"Stop it, Sarina," Scott croaks from the bed.

"No, I will not stop!" she yells, clenching her knife tighter. I stepped back some more, meeting the door. "Get out."

At that moment, there was a knock on the door behind me. I reach for the doorknob.

"_Don't!" _Sarina hisses, pointing her knife at me.

"It's Rick," Rick calls through the wood. "Sarina, you can trust me."

"Don't open it," Sarina says lowly to me.

I glower at her, ignoring the dangerous fire in her eyes and grab the doorknob.

"Sarina I swear to God-" Scott croaks but no use reasoning with her. She lunges at me. I dodge her knife, grabbing her wrists. She tries to do that break-dancing thing and kicks the back of my leg, hoping to bring me to the ground like she did Shane but I was ready for her, tangling her leg with mine. She elbows me in the face as we trip over each other's legs, crashing down to the wooden floor hard. I land on top of her, and she drops her knife in a clatter with the force.

"Daryl!" I hear Rick shout.

"Sarina I freaken swear to God-"

I struggle to keep her pinned down. She kicks my shin then headbutts me. Fuck!

"Daryl!" Rick shouts again.

"I got it!" I yell back, pinning down her legs with mine and keeping control. "You're a fighter, alrigh'," I say to Sarina.

She growls and buckles once more against the weight of my body but then quits, realizing she won't be able to heave me off her. We lay there, panting angrily in each others faces. After a minute when I gained my strength, I got up carefully, knowing she rested, too. I seized her knife as I got up. She got up slowly. Deciding by her body language that she's done, I scoff and walk to the bedroom door, opening it for Rick.

"What happened?" Rick stumbles in, taking in the scene. Sarina still panting, Scott half-hanging off his bed, and my cut lip.

"Nuthin', it's over," I say, feeling my lip. That's the second time this week she's made me bleed.

Rick probably guessed we fought, staring at Sarina. He opens his mouth to say something but Scott spoke up.

"Sarina, get out. I want to speak with Rick."

She starts to protest, but Scott starts coughing again. We wait for the fit to stop. It finally does.

Scott and Sarina look at each other. "I'll be fine," he says softly. He glances at Rick. "I trust him."

Sarina tears herself away angrily and files out. I follow her. Rick closes the door after us. We wait, leaning against the wall and not talking. After a while, Rick comes out. Sarina immediately goes inside, I guess to make sure her brother's still breathin'.

"He's fine," Rick says to her. I begin to follow but Rick catches my arm. He pulls me a-ways from the doorway and ducks close to me. "Take her out to the woods," he says lowly. "Distract her, keep her away for a while."

"Why," I answer low, knowing the reason.

Rick clenches his jaw.

**A/N: Review please.**

**-aeonsoul**


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